Welsh Government dropping Coronavirus testing targets "a scandal" says Plaid Cymru

Plaid Cymru have called the Welsh Government’s dropping of Coronavirus testing targets “a scandal”.

The Welsh Government originally had a target of 8,000 tests a day by April 7^th which then changed to 5,000 tests a day by mid-April.

Now the targets have been dropped altogether.

Plaid Cymru Shadow Health Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth AM said testing had to be a “priority” and cited the World Health Organisation’s belief that testing is the “backbone” of the war against the virus.

The Shadow Health Minister strongly criticised dropping the targets adding that the Labour Welsh Government had a “track record” of dropping targets it failed to achieve including targets on child poverty and education.

921 tests were conducted yesterday according to figures released by Public Health Wales.

Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Health Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth AM said,

“The Welsh Government set a target of 8000 tests a day by April 7th. When it became clear that they couldn’t achieve that, it was lowered to 5000 a day by mid-April. Now with fewer than 1000 tests being done a day they’ve dropped the targets altogether! It’s a scandal.

“Testing HAS to be a priority. The World Health Organisation said testing is the backbone of the war on Coronavirus. Except in Wales, it seems - or does Welsh Government know something the WHO doesn’t?

“From child poverty to education, Welsh Government has a track record of dropping targets that it fails to achieve. But having set ambitious targets early on, that I fully supported, we’re now not even seeking to test on the kind of scale that is being targeted elsewhere in these islands.”